Mechanisms of Institutional Control

Patriarchal Spheres of Control

The patriarchal system perpetuates itself through systematic control over various areas of women's lives. One of the most evident is control over the productive or labor force.

In the domestic sphere, women perform an immense amount of unpaid work ,household management, child and elder care, which benefits the family and the economy, but is often not recognized or valued monetarily.

In the external labor market, this control manifests itself in occupational segregation and wage gaps where historically feminized work is undervalued. Another critical sphere is control over reproduction and sexuality.

Social and sometimes legal norms dictate when and how many children a woman should have, or limit her access to family planning methods.

At the same time, female sexuality is subject to strict surveillance, imposing codes of dress and behavior (the dichotomy of the "decent woman" versus the "provocative") that do not apply equally to men.

Finally, there is control over mobility and public space; from implicit time restrictions ("don't come back late alone") to cultural barriers that limit women's free movement, reducing their access to networks and opportunities.

Reinforcement from Institutions

These forms of control would not be possible without the support of society's fundamental institutions.

The family acts as the first school of socialization, where differentiated roles are assigned from childhood.

Religious institutions, mostly led by men in their higher hierarchies, often codify female inferiority in their texts and practices, defining asymmetrical moral duties.

The education system and knowledge systems also play a preponderant role.

Historically, access to higher education was forbidden to women for centuries in the world's most prestigious universities, generating an androcentric bias in science and history: the "voice of authority" has been predominantly male.

Today, the media and the entertainment industry continue to perpetuate stereotypes, objectifying the female body and glorifying aggressive masculinity.

Even the state, through laws and public policies, can institutionalize biases if they are not designed with an inclusive gender perspective.

All these institutions form an interconnected web that normalizes inequality, making it seem like the natural order of things.

Summary

The patriarchal system perpetuates itself by controlling the female labor force, segregating occupations and devaluing unpaid work. It also strictly monitors sexuality and limits women's mobility in public spaces.

Fundamental institutions such as the family, religion and the educational system act as pillars of support. These entities socialize differentiated roles and codify female inferiority in texts and practices from childhood.

Even the media and the state institutionalize biases through stereotypes and laws lacking a gender perspective. This interconnected network normalizes inequality, making subordination seem the natural order of things.